I Need a Hero
by Punk Rock Kitsune
Summary: Amy Rose is seen as a cheerful girl who has no problems whatsoever. She clings to the people she cares about… so much so that she often comes off as annoying. However, no one has given any thought that Amy's effusive nature is a façade. When she meets a blue hedgehog who gives her genuine kindness, the two of them learn what it really means to care about someone.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! Wow, it's been a long time since I've written anything, huh? Almost too long. As most of you know, I have been on a hiatus, and now I am ending it. Hopefully this story, **_**I Need a Hero**_**, will live up to your expectations, and hopefully by the end, you will get something worthwhile from it. This is a different story from Love Has No Boundaries, so please don't compare the two.**

**Here is the usual info about the story you are about to read.**

_**I **__**Need a Hero **__by Punk Rock Kitsune_

_Edited by Dronda Desuix_

_**Rating: **__T_

_**Pairings: **__SonAmy, one-sided Shadamy, Silvaze, Taismo_

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or the song "Holding Out For a Hero". Credit goes to SEGA and Bonnie Tyler._

_**Summary: **__Amy Rose is seen as a cheerful girl who has no problems whatsoever. She clings to the people she cares about… so much so that she often comes off as annoying. However, no one has given any thought that Amy's effusive nature is a façade. When she meets a blue hedgehog who gives her genuine kindness, the two of them learn what it really means to care about someone._

_**Ages of Main Characters**_

_**Amy: **__17_

_**Sonic: **__19_

_**Blaze: **__17_

_**Silver: **__17_

_**Tails: **__16_

_**Cosmo: **__16_

_**Cream: **__14_

_**Shadow: **__17_

**So without further ado, here is **_**I Need a Hero**_**!**

* * *

_**Where have all the good men gone**_

_**And where are all the gods?**_

_**Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?**_

"Good morning, everyone!" Amy called cheerily.

Her friends Blaze, Cosmo, and Cream looked up and smiled.

The girls were meeting at a coffee shop one sunny Monday morning. This is a ritual they do every summer. They meet once a week to make plans and talk about their week.

"Cheerful in the morning as always." Blaze laughed. "Here, I already ordered your coffee."

"Thanks!" Amy grinned. "It's a beautiful morning, isn't it?"

"No. Besides, I'm not a morning person at all. How are you always so happy?" Cosmo pouted.

Amy pulled up a chair and sat next to Blaze. "It's simple. Every day is a new opportunity to live life to the fullest. Why waste it being grumpy?"

"That's true." Cream replied. "It's summer vacation, after all. We don't have school or homework to worry about."

Blaze smirked at Amy. "It's also the time of year to find love."

Amy flinched, but it went unnoticed.

"Yeah!" Cosmo agreed. "You can forget about Shadow and find someone who deserves you."

Amy laughed a bit too wholeheartedly. "Shadow? You're still going on about him? Guys, he rejected me six months ago. I'm over it."

Blaze knew Shadow is still a touchy subject. She never meant for Shadow to be brought up.

"Hey guys, let's move on." She said quickly. "How about we start-"

"Actually," Amy interrupted, checking her watch. "I have to get going. I have to go my part timer early today."

"Aww." Cream whined. "Ok then."

Amy started gathering her things as fast as she could. "Don't worry. I'll call and text you guys. I'll see you all here next Monday!"

Amy got up and fled the coffee shop.

"I'm jealous." Cream sighed. "Amy is so independent."

"Yeah." Cosmo agreed. "She has a job and lives by herself. I was surprised myself that her parents suddenly decided to leave their house to Amy and move out."

"It must be nice though having a place all to yourself." Cream pointed out. "You could do whatever you want."

"And you don't have your parents nagging at you every second." Cosmo added.

Blaze looks out the window at Amy driving off in her car.

"I'm not so sure," Blaze interjected. "It seems rather… lonely to me."

* * *

Amy knew she shouldn't have lied to her friends and leave like that. She didn't have to be at her job until noon. But… she just had to get out of there. Every time anyone brings up Shadow… she can't help but cry.

Amy's tears blurred her vision as she drove home. She could remember that day clearly…

"_Amy, you should confess to him today!" Cosmo told her._

_Amy, Cosmo, and Blaze were sitting in Pre-Calculus, discussing Amy's crush on Shadow._

"_Yeah, I agree." Blaze chimed in. "It's been over a year. You have been the only one Shadow has opened up to. He must really like you. You like him as well, so there shouldn't be a problem."_

_Amy twiddled her thumbs nervously. "I realize that, but… I've never done this before. Usually the guy confesses. This feels... weird."_

"_We all know Shadow isn't going to come to you first." Cosmo pointed out. "He's too reserved."_

"_You're usually so confident. What's wrong?" Blaze asked._

_Amy knew she had to hide her insecurity. Ever since her parents announced that they were moving out because of Amy's "infringing behavior", her self-confidence has disappeared, and was in desperate need of love._

"_Nothing's wrong!" Amy said proudly. "In fact, I'll confess after school!"_

"_Good for you! Be sure to tell us the good news afterwards!" Blaze told her._

_Amy did as she said she would. After the last class of the day, she pulled Shadow aside._

"_Hi, Shadow." Amy said nervously._

"_Um, hey." Shadow replied, confused on why she looked so scared._

_Amy looked down at her shoes. "Well, I have something really important to tell you."_

"_Uh, okay." Shadow didn't know what else to say._

_After staring at her shoes a little while longer she finally looked into Shadow's eyes._

"_Shadow, I really like you. In fact… I'm in love with you. And I was wondering… how you felt."_

_Shadow didn't say a word. Amy's heart sank to her feet as his crimson eyes turned cold, and his neutral expression changed stonily. He simply turned on his heels and walked away, leaving Amy alone and heartbroken…_

Amy parked her car in her driveway, rushing into her house. She ran to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. As expected, her tears washed away the makeup she had covering the dark bags under her eyes from lack of sleep.

_Six months ago, my life ended._ Amy thought as she dried her eyes and reapplied her makeup. _Now I am a mere shell of what I used to be…_

* * *

**Thank you for reading chapter one of INH! I hope you will stay tuned for later chapters. I plan on updating every Saturday. If you want to know when I update this story, add INH to your alerts!**

**Also, if you want to be a part of the PRK family, like my Facebook page~! It has grown a lot, and I would love it if you joined us! My editor Lord Dronda and I post story updates, fun links, and random things that happen in our lives. The link to that is on my fanfiction profile. Or just go to Facebook and type in Punk Rock Kitsune in the search engine.**

**Thank you again for reading! And remember**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**Ja ne! :3**

**PRK**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys~! I know, it's not Saturday. FF messed up yesterday and I was unable to go to my Manage Stories tab and publish this chapter. So no, I didn't forget~! :3**

**Thanks you guys for reviewing and adding this to your favorites/alerts! I really appreciate it. :3**

**Here's chapter 2!**

* * *

_**Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?**_

_**Late at night I toss and I turn**_

_**And I dream of what I need**_

Amy, fresh with new makeup, drove to her part time job at Smiley's, a retro 60s style restaurant that the pink hedgehog fell in love with at first sight. After parking, she hurried inside and punched in her time card. She went to her locker to grab her uniform and went to the restroom to change.

Amy emerged from the stall minutes later with a yellow shirt with a smiley face on the front, and black pants. The restaurant's logo, '_Always service with a smile_', was labeled on the back of the yellow shirt. Amy pinned her name tag on the left pocket of her shirt before leaving the restroom.

"Good morning, everyone!" Amy called joyously to her fellow employees.

Fiona Fox and Geoffrey St. John grimaced. Jet the Hawk looked over hesitantly and said "Hey" with a fake smile, while Wave the Swallow and Storm the Albatross simply looked elsewhere.

"I spy with my little eye something beginning with bitch." Fiona muttered under her breath.

"My god! She's _always _so cheery; I wouldn't be surprised if she shits rainbows and unicorns." Jet complained.

"Ew, gross!" Fiona cried. She couldn't help but snicker at the thought.

"He's pretty accurate." Geoffrey replied. "Ever since she started working here, she's never shown any other sort of emotion."

"Yeah, remember two months ago when she dropped a whole tray of food and the boss yelled at her?" Wave recalled. "She smiled the entire time!"

"It was really creepy." Storm shuddered

"It just proves that she's fake!" Fiona snapped. "No one can be that happy all the time."

"She also doesn't know how to leave people alone," Wave added. "Every time I'm in a '_get out of my face_' mood, Amy talks me to death!"

"You gotta admit, you're always in a "get out of my face" mood." Jet smirked.

"Shut up!"

"I'm just relieved that she works at the counter by herself." Geoffrey told them. "At least she can't suffocate us with her gushiness for five hours straight."

"I agree." Fiona crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the pink hedgehog. "Just because her life is so perfect, it doesn't give her the right to shove it in everyone's faces."

* * *

_Whew, I'm almost done._ Amy thought to herself. _My mouth hurts from smiling so much._

Her five hour shift was almost up. She only had one customer left. He was a particularly rude squirrel who had nothing better to do than torture the poor hedgehog. He even called her a bitch under his breath as she went back to the kitchen to place his order.

"Hey, pinkie!" The squirrel barked, extremely annoyed. "I told you NO tomato and lettuce on this sandwich! You know, for a female, you certainly are useless in the kitchen!"

Amy twitched, but she maintained her composure. She simply smiled and picked up the plate.

"I apologize, sir. I'll take care of this immediately. In fact, don't worry about your bill. I will take care of it as well." She told him happily.

As she made her journey to the kitchen, she kept her smile, but her mind was on fire.

_How dare him! I'm not even a cook! I just placed the order… which I swear I wrote no lettuce and tomato on it!_ Amy fumed to herself.

After Amy asks the chef to remove the unwanted vegetation, she looks at the ticket with the squirrel's order written down. One section was not in her handwriting. Someone erased "no tomato and lettuce" and wrote down "extra tomato and lettuce".

_Who did this? _Amy wondered.

From afar, Fiona and Wave were snickering as they placed new orders in the kitchen and walked back out to the main floor.

After the cook fixed the sandwich, Amy hurried out to the counter, the squirrel still upset with her.

"Here you go, sir! I apologize again for the mistake!" Amy told him, a fake smile still plastered on her face.

"That's more like it!" The squirrel huffed. "You sure aren't receiving a tip from me, though. What terrible service!"

"Your choice to eat here is good enough for me." Amy replied. "Thank you, and I hope you decide to come here again soon."

The man "hmphed" and continued eating, waving Amy away.

As soon as the bastard left, Amy changed her clothes and walked towards the exit.

"Have a good day, Amy." Fiona told her tauntingly. "But hey, what am I saying? You're always having a good day, right?"

Amy's mind was in a middle of a heated battle. _Should I tell her to shove off and kiss my ass? Or should I lie and just leave?_

"You bet I'm having a good day!" Amy grinned. "See ya tomorrow!"

Fiona scoffs as Amy runs to her car.

_She's so full of shit._ Fiona thought, walking back to the kitchen. _I am determined to expose her for who she really is!_

* * *

On her way home, Amy's tears once again wash her make up away.

"Damnit! Why can't I do it?!" Amy shouted. "Why can't I express how I really feel anymore?!"

Amy pulls her car over to the side of the road, knowing her tears would only blur her vision. After turning on her hazard lights, Amy sinks into her seat, her head resting on the steering wheel. As she cries, memories from six months ago flash in her mind.

"_You brat!" Amy's father shouted. "You stay out of mine and your mother's business! No one gave you the right to eavesdrop! You really are a self-centered monster!"_

"_Don't you dare complain!" Amy's mother yelled. "Your father and I work all day, and all you do is go to school! We make all of the money! I better not get another call from your counselor asking if we're threat to your safety! That's utter bullshit!"_

"_You're a liar! We do not harm you!"_

"_You're a thief! All the money on your credit card belongs to me! You don't get to use it without my permission!"_

"_The reason why guys don't look at you is because of your cheeky mouth!"_

Not knowing what she was doing, Amy pulls out from the side of the road and into the middle of the street. She's oblivious to the speeding car coming from the other way. The two vehicles collide. The horrific and ear-splitting sound of metals crushing and glass shattering everywhere could be heard for miles.

Amy saw her life flash before her eyes as she gets jerked around, glass cutting her face and arms. Her vision went in and out. She saw the shape of a hedgehog lifting her out, shouting something she couldn't make out. The last thing Amy saw was his blue fur before falling unconscious.

* * *

**Thanks for reading chapter 2. There will be more coming next weekend (I'm saying weekend just in case FF meses up again on a Saturday or if life happens)!**

**And remember...**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**Ja ne~! :3**

**PRK**


	3. Chapter 3

_****_**Hey guys~! Another Saturday, another chapter! I'm glad you all are enjoying this story so far. So thank you, and here's chapter 3. See ya at the bottom~!**

* * *

_**I need a hero**_

_**I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night**_

_**He's gotta be strong**_

_**And he's gotta be fast**_

_**And he's gotta be fresh from the fight**_

"Oohh…" Amy Rose opened her eyes.

All she could see was white. _Where am I?_ She wondered.

As her vision cleared, she sat up groggily, noticing she was lying in a hospital bed. As she was looking around the hospital room, she saw Blaze sitting in a chair to her right, nervously twiddling her thumbs.

"Blaze?" Amy murmured.

Blaze's ears twitched at the sound of Amy's voice. The cat jumped up and ran over to Amy's side, kneeling next to her.

"Amy!" She cried. "Oh thank God!"

"Who…was it?" Amy asked.

"Huh?" Blaze looked at Amy, confused. "What are you asking me?"

"Who got me out of my car?" Amy specified.

"Uh…" Blaze stammered. She had no idea what Amy was talking about.

At that moment, a nurse walked in. When she saw that Amy had woken up, she sighed in relief.

"Oh, thank heavens you're awake. I don't mean to bombard you with questions, but are you feeling pain anywhere?" She asked, checking Amy's blood pressure.

"My head hurts." Amy replied. "And… I feel kinda numb, but that's about it."

The nurse shone a light in both of Amy's eyes before writing down quick notes on her clipboard.

"I'm glad you're not in a lot of pain, Miss Rose. In fact, when you were admitted here, all you had were some cuts from where the glass from your windshield ledged into your arms, legs, and forehead. You also have bruising around your stomach, probably from the seatbelt and getting lurched around."

"That's not so bad, I guess…" Amy said tiredly.

Blaze put a hand on Amy's shoulder. "I'm so relieved that you don't have severe injuries."

"There is one more thing to inform you about before I leave, Miss Rose." The nurse said. "The doctor knows of your unique living situation. He will have to call your parents and ask them to stay with you for at least three weeks while you recover."

Amy's eyes widened in fear.

"No! Please! Please don't call them!" Amy cried, bursting into tears

"Amy! Amy, what's the matter?" Blaze asked, holding Amy's hand.

"Don't call them! _Please!_" Amy begged.

The nurse looked at the hedgehog warily. "I-I'm sorry Miss Rose. You are under 18, and by law, we are required to contact your guardians. As long as you are here, we have no choice."

The nurse left briskly, and Amy broke down completely, crying onto Blaze's shoulder. Blaze couldn't offer any words of comfort. All she could do was rub Amy's back.

_Why is Amy afraid of her parents getting contacted?_ Blaze wondered. _ She's injured after all, and it's not her fault. Amy's parents are nice, caring people… right?_

After Amy calmed down, Blaze stood up.

"I'm going to get us some drinks. I'm sure you're parched. I'll be right back."

Blaze left the hospital room, leaving Amy all alone.

_They can't find out._ Amy thought. _I'll be done for. I have to do something…_

* * *

Blaze returned to Amy's hospital room fifteen minutes later with the promised drinks.

"Amy." Blaze called as she entered the room. "I bought your favorite, strawberry soda…!" Blaze cut herself off when she realized Amy was no longer in her bed.

She dropped the drinks in shock. _Where is she?! Did she go to the bathroom…? No way, not in her current state!_

Blaze rushed out of the room and hopped on the elevator down to the first floor. She ran up to the receptionist desk, panting slightly.

"Excuse me!" She said, getting the receptionist's attention. "Did the patient Amy Rose get transferred to another hospital room? She is no longer in room 204."

The receptionist looked up Amy's name on her computer. "Um, no, ma'am. Miss Amy Rose checked out about fifteen minutes ago."

"What?!" Blaze shouted. "What kind of staff does this hospital have? How the hell did you all let Amy leave in her condition?!"

The receptionist scooted her chair back in fear. "It is a patient's right to leave a hospital, as long as they are in a good enough condition to walk around, be cautious of their surroundings, things like that. Amy Rose was smiling when she checked out, and was walking just fine."

"Damnit!" Blaze hurried out of the hospital.

_What is Amy thinking?! _Blaze fumed to herself._ She has no car, obviously, and she has no money to catch a bus either. I have all of her belongings!_

Blaze jumped in her car and took off towards Amy's house.

* * *

Blaze caught up with Amy two blocks from her house. The pink hedgehog was limping heavily. Her eyes were lidded, and she looked like she was going to pass out again.

Blaze stopped the car and got out, rushing over to Amy.

"Amy Rose, are you _crazy_?!" Blaze shouted, tugging Amy to her car. "You are in no condition to be walking out here in the heat! What has gotten into you?!"

Amy smiled brightly at her best friend. "I'm perfectly fine, Blaze! See, look at me! I can walk around and function just fine!"

Blaze released Amy's arm, and backed away slowly. "Amy… you're starting to scare me."

Amy's smile only widened. "I'm sorry, Blaze. I always try not to be a bother to anybody. So, if you'll excuse me, I continue on home."

"No, wait!" Blaze grabbed Amy's arm gently. "…at least let me drive you the rest of the way home."

"Ok! That's nice of you!" Amy replied happily.

Amy plopped in the front seat and Blaze slid in the driver's seat, still a bit frazzled from Amy's strange behavior.

After reaching Amy's house, the pink hedgehog quickly got out, shutting the door.

"Thanks for the ride, Blaze!" She called cheerily, preparing to bolt for her home.

"Amy…" Blaze said hesitantly. "You know that if you need to talk, I'm always here for you, right?"

Amy's eyes filled with tears again, but her fake smile remained. "I know you are. You're very kind. Well, see ya later!"

Amy ran to the front door and went inside, shutting it behind her.

Blaze drove off, still not completely sure what just happened.

_I realize that something is wrong with Amy… I just can't figure out what it is._ Blaze sighed to herself.

* * *

"Ow!" Amy hissed.

Amy was trying to apply ice to the bruising around her stomach, but the pain from the cold was almost unbearable.

_Thank God I was able to leave._ Amy thought, her tears finally running over. _My parents would only berate me like before… and make my injuries a joke. They would call me a stupid, helpless girl like usual…_

Amy gave up on the ice and slouched in her chair. _I can't lose my control of my emotions in front of other people again. Blaze almost found out that my parents hate me._

Amy changed out of her clothes and into her pajamas, hiccupping every now and then. Amy carefully slid into her bed, wincing at the pain in her stomach. As soon as she was comfortable, she closed her eyes. Then, the blurred images of her blue savior flooded her mind.

_That blue hedgehog… just who was it? He or she saved my life. They're a… hero._

Amy slowly drifted off to sleep, hoping that her rescuer would be able to save her again soon.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! I'll see you guys next week! And remember...**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**Ja ne~!**

**PRK**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Happy Saturday! Here is chapter 4 of INH. Enjoy~! :D**

* * *

_**I need a hero**_

_**I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light**_

_**He's gotta be sure **_

_**And it's gotta be soon**_

_**And he's gotta be larger than life**_

_**Larger than life**_

Amy woke up to the sound of her phone going off. Her "Shadows of the Night" ringtone filled the inert room. Feeling sluggish, Amy waited until the caller gave up so she wouldn't have to talk to whoever it was.

After the ringtone stopped playing, Amy flipped her phone open. There were several missed calls and texts from Blaze, Cosmo, Cream, and even Silver and Tails. There were a few from her insurance company, but Amy decided to ignore them for now. She did not feel like conducting business.

As she flipped through the texts, she spotted one from a number she did not completely recognize.

_This number is extremely familiar. Who is this? _Amy wondered. _It's at the tip of my tongue…_

Amy went to her contacts and looked up the number. It was…

"…_Shadow?!_" Amy quickly went back to the text message and opened it up. Sure enough, it was Shadow.

"Hey Amy…" Amy read the text slowly, choking back tears. "I'm sorry to hear about the accident you were in. I hope you'll recover soon. Best of luck, Shadow…"

Amy threw her phone on the carpeted floor, almost scared to go near it. A million thoughts were going through Amy's mind.

_Why did he text me?! How did he even remember my number? The only reason why we exchanged numbers was so we could finish our class project at home and discuss it! What the hell...?!_

Amy curled up in a fetal position, ignoring the painful protest from her bruised stomach.

"That bastard… _how dare he!_" She cried.

Her tears spilled over as she rocked back and forth, sobbing uncontrollably. At that moment, her mind clouded over, and she wasn't thinking straight anymore.

"I should go into work today… yeah. Working will make me feel better." Amy said dully.

After checking the time, she took a quick shower and gets dressed. Then, she remembered that she still didn't have a mode of transportation.

_Smiley's is not too far from here. I can walk there. I can do it._ Amy thought.

Amy grabbed her purse and left the house. The chirping birds, shining sun, and clear blue sky greeted Amy. However, it only made Amy sick to her stomach.

_Why is everything so goddamn perfect? It's like Mother Nature is making fun of me._ Amy sighed to herself. _Does anyone have problems, too?_

Suddenly, the thought of the hospital bills shattered Amy's heart.

"Shit…" Amy groaned, slowing down until she came to a complete stop. "My parents are gonna kill me for sure. Even if I worked the entire summer, it wouldn't be enough…"

Amy was stuck in a trance, so she didn't hear her phone ring again. Finally, she felt her phone buzz, letting her know that someone left a voice message.

Amy opened her phone, seeing that the message is from the insurance company.

_I might as well deal with this now. _Amy convinced herself, dialing her voice mail.

"Good morning, Miss Rise. This is Kate." The voice of Amy's insurance agent said. "First, I would like to say that I'm sorry about your current situation. You deserve lots of rest and to live stress-free for a while. Well, here is your first wave of relief; your car and hospital bills have been paid for. Every last one. I was contacted by a Mr. Sonic the Hedgehog's insurance agent, confirming that everything had been taken care of. Your car will be repaired in full, and will be released to you in about two weeks. This Sonic is very gracious, isn't he? I hope you have a swift recovery, Miss Rose. Goodbye."

As the message ended, Amy almost dropped her phone in shock.

_Sonic… is that the blue hedgehog who pulled me out of my car?_

Amy started walking again, this time increasing her pace with every step. By the time she reached her job, she had another smile on her face. This time, it was genuine.

* * *

Fiona could not believe her eyes when she witnessed Amy enter the restaurant. She hurried back to the kitchen to alert the others.

"Guys! Amy actually came to work today!" Fiona announced.

Jet, Wave, Storm, and Geoffrey laughed, thinking Fiona was joking.

"Fiona, quit fooling around. You're about two months late for an April Fool's joke." Jet told her.

"Yeah," Geoffrey agreed. "No one is that stupid."

"Well, look for yourself!" Fiona snapped, pointing to the front of the restaurant.

They all peeked out from the kitchen and alas, Amy was behind the counter, changed into her uniform.

"No way!" Jet cried. "Is she for real?"

"She's smiling, too!" Storm shivered.

"What the hell is she?!" Wave asked.

Amy looked up to see her coworkers looking at her as if she was a ghost.

"Good afternoon, guys!" Amy waved to them. "What's up?"

Wave, Jet, Storm, and Geoffrey ducked back in the kitchen, leaving Fiona there to reply. Fiona cleared her throat.

"Oh, uh, nothing… um… why are you here?" She asked.

"Huh?" Amy raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, "huh"?" Fiona asked her, narrowing her eyes. "You were just in a car accident, right? What are you doing here?"

"I'm fine!" Amy grinned. "I just had a few cuts and bruises. Nothing major."

"Good grief!" Fiona rolled her eyes and walked back to the kitchen.

"She's such a freak." Geoffrey muttered when Fiona reappeared.

"You aren't kidding." Fiona seethed. "She's really something, that's for sure."

Amy felt her smile fade, and a fake one replaced it once more.

_Their eyes were cold…_ Amy thought to herself, staring at the floor. _They all looked at me like I was some sort of bizarre monster. Then Fiona was so mean… why are they so spiteful?_

Amy walked over to the other side of the counter to rearrange the napkins and ketchup bottles. On her way back, she hit her leg on a stool. The strong jolt of pain made her wince, but she did a good job of covering up her discomfort.

Minutes later, Wave spotted something red trickling down through the left leg of Amy's pants.

"Amy, you aren't dripping period all over the floor, are ya?" She snickered.

Amy looked down, her eyes widening at the blood. The gash must have reopened when she hit the stool.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Amy scrambled to clean up the mess before any customers came over to her. She grabbed a rag and mopped up the blood the best she could.

As Amy was spraying disinfectant on the floor, Wave was talking the manager, pointing over to the still smiling pink hedgehog. After the mess was cleaned up, the manager walked over to Amy.

"Amy," He said warily. "I think it's best for you to go home. In fact, take the week off at least. I will even pay you during your leave."

"I-I'll be okay, sir!" Amy told him quickly. "It's just a little scratch-"

"Go home, Amy." The manager said firmly. With that, he walked away.

Amy trudged to the bathrooms to change, still smiling. After Amy came out, Jet walked past her.

"I'm glad the boss is sending you home." He smirked. "I just hope you didn't violate any health and safety codes. We don't want this wonderful place to be shut down because of you, right?"

"Yeah, that's right! See you whenever!" Amy walked away from Jet as quickly as she could. Because of the pain in her left leg, she was reduced to limping.

_There's no way I can limp the entire way home._ Amy thought to herself. _I'll take a bus._

Amy found a bus stop close to Smiley's. She was in luck. The next bus would be there in five minutes.

_My coworkers didn't seem concerned about me at all. They were extremely sarcastic and mean. No one even helped me out. Why are people so cruel…?_

Amy waited a while longer, and finally, the city bus pulled up.

Amy received strange looks from people on the bus. They all stared at Amy's bloody leg, wondering what could have happened to her. Amy ignored them the best she could, but the pressure was starting to wear down her defenses. As soon as the bus was close to her neighborhood, Amy got off the bus.

As soon as Amy got home, she bandaged the gash on her leg and got in bed, hoping she could get some peace. However, sleep didn't bring her any tranquility…

* * *

_Amy looked up from her steering wheel, seeing that she was back on the road where she got in the accident. As Amy pulled out as she did before, a car ran into her directly. Instead of slipping out of consciousness, she was awake the entire time. _

_The familiar yet agonizing feeling of getting jerked around in her seat made her nauseous. The airbag deployed, cutting off Amy's breathing as it covered her face. The glass from the windshield fell around her, one getting lodged in her heart. _

_Desperate to escape, Amy violently pushed against the airbag. She could feel the blood from her heart gush out around her._

"_Help!" Amy screamed._

_The other vehicle was perfectly fine. To Amy's horror, Shadow comes out of the car, smirking at the dying hedgehog._

"_Shadow… please help…" Amy coughed out._

_Shadows turned his back on her and walked off. Before Amy could call out for her mystery savior Sonic, her world turns black…_

* * *

Amy bolts up from her bed, screaming.

"_Sonic! Sonic!_"

Amy thrashed around, still believing she was dying.

"Shadow! You let me die! And… and… I called for someone I've never seen before!"

After realizing she was breathing and not in any pain, she sat still.

"A nightmare…?" Amy whispered.

Amy laid back down, hiccupping. "I'm helpless and hopeless. I will never be able to save myself."

After a while, Amy cried herself back to sleep, this time without any nightmares.

* * *

**There you have it! Thanks for reading!**

**Quick thing: I haven't been feeling well lately, and it has been affecting my writing. So I will not be updating chapter 5 next Saturday. It will be sometime during the week after that. However, I will still be planning chapters, so don't worry, I'm not quitting on INH. I just need time to relax and continue coming up with ideas for this story. I don't want to upload all the chapters that are finished then be stuck.**

**Remember...**

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!**

**Ja ne~! :3**

**PRK**


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